How to identify a SQL Server Express instance

DBA or Developers can use the sqlcmd utility to determine which edition of SQL Server is used for a currently-running instance. Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express Edition instances display “Express Edition.” DBA or Developers should follow the next steps to determine which edition of SQL Server is used:

1. Connects to an instance of SQL Server by using the following sqlcmd command:

sqlcmd -S Server\Instance

Where Server is the name of the computer and Instance is the name of the instance they want to check. If DBA or Developers have used the default named instance during setup, they have to specify the instance as “SQLExpress”.

2. Type the following command to determine the server and instance names:

select @@servername

go

3. Type the following two commands, when they are connected:

select @@version

go

4. Alternatively, they can type the following commands:

select serverproperty(‘edition’)

go

5. The sqlcmd tool displays the version information. If the last line of information includes “Express Edition,” the instance to which they are connecting is running SQL Server Express.